Keno vs Backgammon

Backgammon and keno are two games that are polar opposites when it comes to gambling. One requires considerable time to become good at, years to master, while the other requires nothing but knowing the numbers between 1 and 80 inclusive.

But this article aims to take a look at the various differences and also the similarities between the two games when it comes to playing them for money.

SKILL

Backgammon is definitely a game of skill. First of all, you need to learn the basic rules of the game, then you can transition to learning basic strategy for backgammon, and then learn more advanced tactics. The game of backgammon is one that can take minutes to learn the basics of, but then you are going to be constantly learning and evolving your game.

As for keno, there is literally no skill involved in the game at all. You can head to your casino’s keno hall if it has one, or you can load up your favorite online casino and check out their keno software, and then pick your numbers and go. You do not even have to learn the rules, especially online, because any wins you have are credited automatically. It is perhaps the game in the casino that requires the least amount of skill.

GAME AVAILABILITY

Backgammon is becoming more common online, with more online casinos offering backgammon to players. However, trying to find a live casino offering backgammon is near on impossible. So if you are wanting to play backgammon for money, you are best sticking to the online backgammon software providers and finding a game there. The great thing is you will always find someone looking to play backgammon for money.

Keno is one of the more predominant games in casinos both online and live. Because of the significant house edge of the game, online casinos especially love offering it to players. Live casinos are slowly closing their keno halls purely because they take up so much space and the numbers of people playing are on the decline. But there are still lots of keno halls open, especially in Las Vegas. But if you are wanting to play safe in the knowledge that your keno game will never end, play online at your favorite casino.

PROBABILITIES OF WINNING

Keno is the game in the casino that has the biggest house edge. In the long run, you will never beat the game of keno unless you hit the 100,000-1 chance in your first few games and never return to the game. The game has a negative expectation for all players, and there is nothing you can do to change the odds to your favor.

Winning at backgammon mostly depends on your skill level. If you have just started playing backgammon, your probabilities of winning are slim, unless you are playing another beginner. However, as your skill level increases, as will your chances of winning, especially against beginners. There is a bit of luck involved in backgammon when it comes to the roll of the dice, but you still have to know what you are doing, and an experienced player will beat a novice most of the time, regardless of how the dice fall.

POTENTIAL WINNINGS/LOSES

Keno is a game of low stakes, and potentially high wins. For a $1 stake, you can win $100,000 and sometimes more if you catch enough numbers. Most players are only going to bet a few dollars at a time, in the hope of hitting it big. Most people are playing keno not to grind out a few dollars here and there, but to land the jackpot and leave the casino with a six-figure sum.

Backgammon winnings and loses depend on how much you are betting on each point. Before the game you and your opponent will agree on how much each point is worth and you can then keep score over time, or until the game is stopped by one player. So if you are playing to 100 points and one players wins 100-40, the losing player owes the winner $60. The plus to this is you can effectively limit the loses, as in that example you can only lose $100 at most and win $100 at most. There are also backgammon tournaments, with many offering thousands of dollars in prizes, with entrance sometimes free, other times for a small amount, and very rarely high-stakes tournaments. Live backgammon tournaments can carry even greater prize pools, and also higher entrance fees. The potential for a big win in backgammon is possible, especially in tournament play, and as long as you are sensible with your bankroll management, you can limit your loses to a comfortable level.

CHEATING

Cheating at keno is extremely uncommon, and it is not in the interests of the casino to cheat its players out of money. Because everything is randomized, the casino has no real way of cheating players. And with the house edge being so high, there is no need for the game to be rigged. Plus, it a casino is found cheating, their reputation would be destroyed and they would face legal proceedings. So cheating at keno very, very rarely happens, if at all, because players are not able to cheat casinos at keno either.

Backgammon cheating was prolific in the heyday of online backgammon, with players using computer software to work out the best move for each roll, much in the way chess programs have been doing for years. However, over time, with online backgammon becoming more popular, the best backgammon sites are using smarter software that can determine if a player is potentially using computer software – it is almost impossible for a player to make the 100% optimal move every single time the dice is rolled, so it matches a player’s moves to what top backgammon software would recommend. So, while cheating at online backgammon once was common, it is now almost a thing of the past.

CONCLUSION

If you know how to play backgammon and are confident in your abilities, playing backgammon online for money is a great way to generate some extra income. You will never win a life-changing amount of money, but you can create some extra cash playing a game you enjoy. The downside is that if you are not a backgammon player, or you are not a good player, it will take a bit of time to get to a level that will make you some money playing online. However, the more you play the better you will become, and as most online backgammon software lets you play for free, you can hone your skills before you venture into the cash games.

If you know nothing about backgammon, stick to keno until you learn a bit. The great thing about keno is being able to win a six-figure sum of money for $1. You do not have to grind out small win after small win like you do in backgammon, and there is no learning involved – pick your numbers and go; it never changes. But keno can be a boring game compared to backgammon – you are not doing anything other than pick numbers, it can be mind-numbing if that is not your thing. Plus, it is actually mathematically hard to win at keno. In fact, you will be quicker learning backgammon to an elite level than you would be picking 15 numbers and catching all 15, because the odds are so out of your favor. But if you were to hit all 15, you win the life-changing amount of money, and if you play elite-level backgammon, you are not guaranteed anywhere near a live-changing sum.